Million-dollar races

November 01, 2010

When the going gets tough, candidates for the Illinois General Assembly turn to their party leaders to help pay for all those yard signs, campaign mailers and robo-calls. And this year things have been tough indeed. The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform reported Friday that candidates in 14 legislative dogfights — seven in the state House of Representatives and seven in the Senate — have passed the $1 million mark for fundraising between the two candidates.

Almost two-thirds of the money in those crucial races came from the "Four Tops" — the Democratic and Republican leaders vying for control of their chambers, according to ICPR.

Since July 1, for example, campaign committees controlled by Democrats gave $447,769 to Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi, who's worried about losing his normally safe 43rd District seat to Republican Cedra Crenshaw, a tea party favorite. Republican committees have given Crenshaw $122,789 in the same period.

This targeted generosity is one reason party leaders are able to influence the actions of lawmakers in ways that you, the voters, are not. When was the last time you coughed up even a paltry $100,000 to help someone get elected?

ICPR reports that the four legislative leaders raised almost as much as the other 173 lawmakers combined. How convenient for lobbyists — one-stop shopping.

Things can only get more lopsided come January, when that phony campaign finance reform law kicks in. The state's first limits on contributions won't apply to what party leaders give to candidates in general elections. Donations from individuals, unions, corporations and political action committees will be capped, but party leaders will be free to spend as much as they can. This gives legislative leaders an even bigger club to wield over the rank and file. No good can come of that.

It's been galling to hear politicians — chief among them Gov. Pat Quinn, who certainly knows better — chalk up this law as a win for democracy. It strengthens the heavy hand of those who already control who sits on what committee, whose bills will be considered and which bills will pass. That makes it all the less likely that this supposed "first step" will be followed by a second.